Police have arrested a woman that could be connected to the main suspect in the January 15 terror attack on Nairobi's 14 Riverside Drive that claimed 21 lives.
Violet Kemunto (alias Khadija) is believed to be the wife of Ali Salim Gichunge, one of the attackers killed by security forces at 14 Riverside Drive.
Acting on a tip-off, officers from Nyangusu Police Station yesterday arrested the woman whose identity they are seeking to verify. She was arrested alongside a male companion.
The man is said to be a Tanzanian national aged about 38 years, and who detectives claim had no valid travel documents.
The woman had a passport bearing a different name but indicating she entered the country on March 21 through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from Saudi Arabia.
The two suspects were held at the police station, as detectives continue interrogations.
By yesterday mid-day, the suspects were still being held.
Kisii County Commander Martin Kibet said they were detaining the suspects until investigations are completed.
“For now we are not sure whether the female suspect in custody is the alleged Kemunto. We will leave that to the relevant police officers probing the case,” said Mr Kibet.
Kisii County Criminal Investigations Commander James Kipsoi confirmed the arrests, saying he had ordered his officers at Nyangusu to carry out extensive investigations on the matter.
“She really doesn’t look like the Kemunto the police are looking for. Our officers will go to the ground and talk to the area chief and find out where she schooled before we take any further action. The search for Kemunto is a matter of national concern and we will not take any chance in digging out the truth,” said Mr Kipsoi.
Initial investigations soon after the attack showed that Kemunto had met her mother days earlier in Ruai, Nairobi, and informed her she and Gichunge were to leave for an undisclosed location.
